Beryl’s eyes widened, but she dared not lift her gaze to look upon Lord Hargrave. She had never heard his wife speak in such a way to him directly, and the undercurrent of her statement was deep anddark and swift.
“You mustn’t think such things of me, my dear,” Lord Hargrave warned quietly.
Beryl’s heart pounded as she dared intervene. “Everything shall be as it has always been,” she repeated. “Please, my lady. I will take care of you.”
Commotion in the hall signaled that Lucan had successfully located his prey, but Beryl did not give them the consideration of her attention, for Caris Hargrave at last turned her face toward Beryl, the motion so slow that it seemed as though it must have taken every drop of strength left in the frail woman’s body. Painful uncertainty filled her eyes. And fear.She was afraid.
“He’ll take you from me, too,” she breathed, her head on Beryl’s shoulder, her mouth by her ear.
Beryl’s heart pounded as she shook her head. “Never,” shewhispered down.
The hand on herarm tightened.
Lord Hargrave’s hateful voice called out, “Now that you have sent my wife into distress and caused discord between us, are we in agreement, Boyd?”
“Aye,” the Scotsman allowed. “For now.”
Beryl did look up then, in shock at the man’s seemingly reckless nerve, as Hargrave banged his fist on the table.
“Get out of my hall,” he demanded throughclenched teeth.
Padraig Boyd stood in the midst of the tables and gawking residents, but rather than appear intimidated or shamed, he wore a slight smile across the wide planes of his face.
His bright gaze found Beryl’s, and hewinked at her.
Then he turned and preceded Lucan into the corridor from whichthey’d emerged.
Chapter 5
Padraig knew he had won that first battle, but his triumphant exit was ruined shortly after gaining the corridor by Lucan Montague’s swift yank on his arm.
“This way,” the knight ordered crisply, walking at once in the opposite direction into a dark tributary of the main passage.
Padraig quashed his newly birthed pride and followed. “Whereare we going?”
“The barracks.”
“What for?”
“To meet withyour servants.”
“Why?”
“So they might be educated on their expected duties.”
“They doona already ken whatthey’re about?”
Lucan’s only answer was a curt sigh.
Padraig obviously didn’t understand something that was perhaps very basic, and it was clear that the Englishman was already running out of patience with him this first full day at Darlyrede. Padraig wasn’t used to and didn’t like feeling unsure, ignorant, vulnerable. And so he asked no more questions while he followed Lucan out of the keep proper and into Darlyrede’s wide, busy inner courtyard.
No sooner had the pair of men entered into the low-ceilinged common room attached to the stables than the appointed staff from the hall began to file in, singly and in pairs. Scottish Searrach came alone, and her gaze immediately sought Padraig’s. She looked him over boldly.
She was striking, and Padraig’s interest was stirred. What was she, a Scottish lass with the wild look of the Highlands in her hollowed cheeks, doing here at English Darlyrede?
Lucan drew Padraig’s attention from the woman when he pulled out a rough stool from the end of the common table and gestured to Padraig before sitting in the seat to the right. Padraig eased himself down, feeling all the eyes in the chamber on him now as the servants lined the walls. The burly men appointed by Hargrave were the last to arrive.
Beryl hadyet to appear.
